Fractal Rituals

Magic

A fractal ritual is a very advanced approach to ritual spellcasting. A single ritual can combine the will and power of dozens or even hundreds of participants and sources. Some rituals have involved thousands of participants.

At present, fractal rituals represent one of the most powerful forms of magic that mortals can manipulate. A fractal ritual of extreme size and sophistication can verge on god-level power.

Ingredients

The participants and sources can be arcane, divine, primal, fiendish, etc. Mixing sources is possible but more challenging. Sources can include believers' faith or self-sacrifice, including non-practitioners. Sources can include magic items, which are often drained or destroyed in a ritual.

The participants and sources don't need to be in the same place, but need some common connection (e.g., a shared chant).

Ritual Approaches

There are several approaches to fractal rituals. Here are two of the most popular:

• A "pyramid" builds power from numerous lesser sources upwards to fewer and fewer more powerful sources, finally focusing to one or a few casters.
• "Wheels within wheels" involves many small, outer wheels driving larger, inner wheels, finally focusing to the central axis of a huge wheel.

Notable Ritualists

The archmages of Tanyth Aramont are often recognized as leaders in fractal rituals, both theoretically and practically. Fractal rituals are essential to growing T'Aramont's organic starships and space stations. The details are a closely guarded secret, but may involve a periodic fractal ritual involving practitioners across the empire and some of the current ships or stations themselves.

The Breakwater around the Closeness was created via a fractal ritual by the Rational Ascendancy.

Some forms of Daysahren bond magic involved fractal rituals.